Trunk-fastener.



UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lW'ALTERV I). BARNES, 0F COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MRS. LOIS P. BARNES, 0F COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

TRUNK-FASTENER.

Application filed February 18, 1913.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented Dec. 2, 1.913.

Serial No. 749,183.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VAL'rnR D. BARNES, citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Richland and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk- Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trunk fasteners, and has for its object the production of a de vice having' parts of special construction and arrangement with respect to each other, which is easy to operate, cheap to manufao ture, and durable and reliable in character, for the purpose of securely holding the lid of a trunk, or the like, in its closed position.

This invention is an improvement upon the construction of the invention for the same purpose set forth in Letters-Patent of the United States No. 1,024,054, dated April Q3, 1912, issued to Valter D. Barnes.

Of the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents portions of the lid and body of a trunk having this invention applied thereto and showing a front view of this invention closed. Fig. 2 is a side View of the invention in its closed position. Fig. 3 is a view from one side showing the locking leverplate raised into an intermediate position hereinafter explained, and Fig. 4l is a like side view from the other side. Fig. 5 is a view of the link and lever-plate only, showing the inside of the lever-plate and the position of the flanges thereof. This ligure also shows the ends of the link passing through the flanges toward each other.

Throughout the drawings and description the same letter is used to refer to the same art.

p In the drawings a portion of the body or bottom part of a trunk is marked A, and the lid shown in contact therewith is designated a. To the lid a is secured the upper plate B of this invention, having the housing b, and inclosing the coil spring C. The housing or case has oppositiely disposed twin slots D and d, shown in Figs. 2, 8, and 4t. To the body A of the trunk is secured the lower plate E of this invention, provided midway of its upper edge with an overhanging lip stop e. At either side and below the lip stop extend the twin ridges or ins of the lower plate marked F and f.

Passing through the slots D and Z in the housing, and above the spring C is the upper portion of the link Gr. In practice it is usual to make the upper part of link Gr somewhat narrower than its lower part in order that when closed as illustrated in Fig. l its sides may lie snugly against the sides of the spring housing, thus preventing any sidewise displacement of the link. The lower portion of link G is relatively wider and engages the locking lever-plate H, through the side flanges J and j thereof. The flanges of the lever-plate are best shown in Figs. 3 and Ll. It will be noted that the link passes through the flanges of the lever-plate at a distance from either' end of the plate, and that the ends of the plate are det-ached and freely movable with respect to the other parts.

The operation of this invention will be understood by examining Figs. 2 and 3 in connection with the following explanation: The position of the lever-plate H shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is an intermediate position, from which it may be further raised freeing it entirely from the other parts of this invention and lifting the lid of the trunk. Or, from its intermediate position the leverplate may be pressed downwardly. Its ripper edge or end is in contact with the lip stop e of the lower plate E, therefore, the lever-plate cannot move upwardly. As the free end of the lever-plate is pushed downwardly, it brings the link G nearer and nearer' to a vertical position, and, finally, the leversplate snaps into its closed position bringing the link with it and beyond the vertical toward the trunk as shown in Fig. 2. At the same time, the spring is compressed. The trunk is now fastened. lVhen it is desired to open the trunk the lever-plate` is raised as will be readily understood.

In Figs. 3 and f1 it will be noted that the widest parts of the flanges J and j of the levenplate lie outside the fins or ridges F and f of the lower plate E. W'hen the leverplate is turned downwardly into its closed position, its flanges fall outside the tins, and the plate is thus prevented from becoming displaced sidewise.

Having now described this invention and explained the Inode of its operation, what I claim ist- 1. A trunk fastener comprising a plate constructed to be attached to the lid of a trunk and having a vertically arranged housing immovable with respect to said plate,

the said housing having vertical, correspond'- ing slots in opposite sides, a spring arranged in the housing, a link passing through the slots and housing and above said spring, a lever plate having side flanges, the lower part of said link being arranged to pass pivotally through said flanges, at a distance from either end of said lever-plate, the ends of the lever plate being detached from and freely movable with respectto the other parts, a plate having a lip and constructed to be secured to the body of a trunk, and the top of the lever plate being arranged to removably engage said lip.

2. A trunk fastener comprising a plate constructed to be attached to the lid of a trunk and having a vertically arranged housing immovable With respect to said plate, the said housing having vertical, corresponding slots in opposite sides, a spring u arranged in the housing, a link passing through the slots and housing and above said spring, a lever plate having side flanges, the lower part of said link being arranged to pass pivotally through. said flanges, at a distance from either end of said lever-plate, the ends of the lever plate being detached from and freely movable With respect to the other parts, a plate having a lip and raised lins and constructed to be secured to the body of a trunk, the top of the lever plate Vbeing arranged to removably engage said lip, and the flanges of the lever plate being constructed to rest next to said fins When the plate is closed thereby preventing side- Wise movement of the plate. Y

In testimony whereof l aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER D. BARNES. Vitnesses J. L. FIGKLING, R. W'. LILLARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, '.D. C. 

